The Maggie-Brick Relationship in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Maggie's married life is compared to a cat's life on a hot tin roof, which is the meaning of the title of the drama. Thus, from the very title, we understand that the relationship between Maggie and Brick is essentially a problematic one. This is mainly due to the simple fact that Brick is a failed homosexual who also hates to be a heterosexual. Besides, most of his frustration comes from Maggie's act of destroying his onetime homosexual friend Skipper.

Brick hates Maggie; he only manages to ignore and tolerate her sight. Maggie is talkative, and Brick only pretends to talk or listen to her. Some of the conversations between them drag on for some time, but Brick, is casual all the time. He wipes her kiss off from his cheeks and he wants to remain drunk and indifferent towards her very presence. Brick shows no interest in either Maggie, or what she has to say. He almost seems fed up and indifferent to anything she mentions. A great distance exists between them. Maggie continues to talk and talk, but Brick lies down on his bed, and then rolls over carefully on the other side. This laid back attitude gives a strong sense of dislike towards her. Brick dismisses everything Maggie says, only asking, "Did you say something, Maggie?" which is only insulting when she is actually speaking with a very serious intention. Brick's absent-minded remarks suggest that he lacks any care, desire and love for her.

The marriage between Brick and Maggie was good enough once, but now it has collapsed into almost nothing. In fact, Brick married Maggie to prove he was a normal heterosexual man, and indeed he proved to be a strong sexual partner. Maggie says: "you did it naturally, easily, slowly, with absolute confidence and perfect calm". She still believes that Brick will come back to normal life and sexual relation: "If I thought you would never, never, never make love to me again — I would go downstairs to the kitchen and pick out the longest and sharpest knife I could find and stick it straight into my heart". She craves for attention and affection, and it is her optimism that sustains her. She says that the victory of the cat on a hot tin roof is to stay on, with belief that she can overcome and change the situation. Brick is entirely apathetic; he doesn't respond to any feeling, suffering and any social need. He neglects his dying father as much he neglects the demand of his wife: He ignores the need of dignity before his greedy elder brother, as much as he hates the idea of having a child with his wife. His responses are few, but almost always void of feelings: "how in hell on earth do you imagine that you are going to have a child by a man that can't stand you". And, he can't stand her. Brick and Maggie's relationship is like a piece of broken mirror which a lady tries to put together and see her image properly as long as she carefully holds the pieces together.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Study Center

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Sexual Struggle and Conflict in Cat on a Hot tin Roof

Illusion and the Grotesque in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Homosexuality the Problem in Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Isolation and the Lack of Communication in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof